Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

An Evolutionary Step for Ocean Research

Background

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute was founded by David Packard as an advanced center for ocean research and technology development. Their mission is to achieve and maintain a position as a world center for advanced research and education in ocean science and technology.

Website Design

Highlights from the year

Our strategy for showcasing their varied projects was to present evocative imagery paired with a minimal introduction that allows people to jump into in-depth articles that grab their interest.

MBARI Around the World

Truly a global research effort, the site opens with an interactive map that shows where research has taken place and allows site visitors to pull up a summary of the activities in that location. From there, they can navigate to more detailed information.

Full Stack Development

Storytelling Tools

The digital report is robust, interactive, and packed with stories, which are central to the report. Each unique story requires different formatting and assets; pictures, graphics, videos, slideshows, pull quotes, and more. We created a Content Builder in Craft CMS that lets each article be told in the best way possible. Persistent social media prompts allow readers to easily share an article via Facebook, Twitter, or Email.

Our flexible content editor allows the MBARI internal team to add full bleed and in-line photos, slideshows, videos, sidebar notes and references, and much more.

Each story contains a brief "Why It Matters" section that speaks directly to the value of the research to ordinary people.

3,507

2017 Pageviews

3,814

2018 Pageviews

Art Direction

The Print Companion

The digital report is new for MBARI. One of the reasons to go digital is to reduce their environmental impact. However, not all of the stakeholders prefer, or are able to easily access, the digital report. As MBARI transitions away from the traditional print model, it was decided that a shorter, 24-page summary of the report would be produced and mailed to people who prefer this form factor.

Printed on recycled paper, the report is an unusual 8.5” x 9” size that feels good in the hands, isn’t bulky, and makes it seem like a luxurious coffee table book. Instructions in the report point people to the digital version, easing them into the fuller online experience.

Outcome

MBARI’s new digital annual report elevates the experience of engaging with the organization. It allows them to go deeper with their stories without fretting about the additional costs to print and ship associated with printed reports. It also positions them as a modern, forward-thinking organization that uses the latest strategies to communicate with their stakeholders.

We’re excited to see the 2018 report, discover how MBARI uses the tools we built for them, and learn how they continue to evolve their brand experience.